Container for bombs



Sept. 14, 1948, w. J. RUSSELL CONTAINER FOR BOMBS 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 21, 1943 INVENTOR In/z' 11mm J Euxc/Z.

WITNESSES: W

BY a.

ATTORNEY Sept. 14, 1948. w. J. RUSSELL 299,511

CONTAINER FOR- BOMBS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1943 Fly. 8.

INVENTOR William-J Passe/1.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

BY a.

Patented Sept. 14, 1948 6 Claims.

My invention relates to projectiles, or bombs, and, more particularly, to containers for certain elements forming part of the particular type of projectile under consideration.

In bombs, or projectiles that are exploded It will be noted that in regions I', 2, 3; all the photo-electrically, an amplifier container and a material hasto be machined away and that container for the batteries switch components. Wrench notches have-to be cut at 4". Theseopetc., have to be rigidly connected to each other.- erations areextremely expensive.

Since the elements are all destroyed when ex- Further the operation of fuses of this type ploded and since the parts have to be rugged, it d p p a l o ert in. Such a is extremely important to combine low cost with P fi by way ofexample y Consist-0f mechanism stability. a squib which is ignited by an electric filament- One object of my invention is to provide inplaced in the arming switch. This squib disexpensive containers for certain bomb or proieccharges a S d D Charge pof e tile elements. powder train which is placed. intermediate the Another object is the provision of inexpensive, Squib and 'the final powd C arge of the proxrugged, and safer housings for the batteries, imity fuse YK fl t y COmbu's; arming devices, and other parts of a projectile. tiOn of the tetlyl effedfe'd i" he te mediate Other objects and advantages will'become more po chargddtomltesthe main p cha apparent from the study of the following speciof the bomb orshell'. fication and the accompanying drawings, in In prior art devices, thetetryl charge is made which: a part of the" assembly including the arming Figure 1 is a side view of parts of two 0011- switch to form a complete operating unit. This tainers in assembled relation, with parts broken was usually referred to asa-comb at on arming away at the bottom of one container to more BOOSWI umtl This assembly; er; inclearly show'theconstruction; cluding the complete powder train is decidedly Fig. 2 is a side view of the cup for receiving dangerous inasmuch as accidental discharge the tetryl'; caused by careless handling with energy applied Fig. 3 shows a side View of the cover for the to the arming switch as isthe case, since the showingin Fig. 2'; 30. assemblyalso includes energizing batteries; would Fig. 4- is' a bottom view of the subject matter cause the firing of first the squib; second theshown in Fig. 3'; powder charge knownas the cap and finally the Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of the tetryl charge. Inthe present invention suchacbottom portion or the container for the amplifier Cidental sc a e W u d i volve only the Sq andsome other elements; 35, and the capsince the tetryl charge is placed Fig. 6 shows in section the top portion of the s p ya am er mad a partofthe unit battery container; can; as hereinafter described. 'I hus the-cap dur-- Fig. '7' illustrates in section a construction su'g- 8 a y a gof-t ar ngm'ecm gested by prior art; anism is removed from the tetryl charge. Since Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, elevation and the tetryl chargei's-by'f'ar' the heaviest or largest planviews of a threaded bushing such as shown of the three power train elements and cause-- in Fig. 5 which is stamped or extruded from a quently has a much more violent explosive resingle piece of material and then machined. t o he danger o p sonnel 'ismeasurably- Fig.- 10'- is a detail showing a portion of the duced Upon assembly, the cap' i disposed assembly ofFig. 1. in' proximity to the tetrykcharg'inthe unit can Fig. 11 is a plan view of the assembly of Fig. a d communicates therewith upon ignition- 1 with the threaded bushing removed, and through a hole in the tetryl chamber.

Figs. 1-2 and-13 are respectively elevation and I- haveprovided low cost, rugged housings p nv w of the y portion of which'can'be'made dimensionally-uniformirrhlgh- An electric proximity fuse, that is a fuse actuprod ti n manufacture d. n bgmadgwith ated' by the proximity of the target, requires the use of a battery and arming switch. These'units furnish the power and provide for safe fuse energization', and for safety and many othe reasons must be supported in a strong container. The

prior art suggestions have been cast containers.- Aportioh of this typeof container is shown in Fig. 7'. The blank from which'thistype of struc-- ture has tobe made is indicated in dotted line existing manufacturing facilities.

The lower can, or container, 5 consists of'four elements 6, T, Band. 9'. Thefirst element comprises a wrapper sheet 6" formed in the shape of a'cylinder and having; a. na I'D". lapped}. as.

shown in Figs. 1 and 12. The lapped over portion is spot-welded for a rigid structure. To the upper end of this wrapper sheet 8, I spot-weld an attachment ring 1. This attachment ring 1 is threaded over a portion of its length internally (see Fig. 6). The unthreaded portion slips over the wrapper sheet and abuts the upper extremity of the flap 10. To this attachment ring I weld two semicircular segments H and 12 provided with diametrically disposed end constructions l3 for receiving a special wrench so that the can 5 may be secured on threads 14 of the threaded bushing l5 shown in Fig. 5. As previously noted,

this threaded bushing forms the bottom portion of the amplifier housing. The remainder of the housing is not shown since it forms no part of this invention. This bushing functions to join the can 5 and the amplifier housing and in addition to secure the complete proximity fuse assembly in the nose of the bomb or shell by means of the threads 1821.

On the inside of the lower end of can 5, I position and spot-weld the bottom cup or tetryl chamber 8. This cup' is so positioned that the lower end of the wrapper sheet 6 extends beyond the cup edge, thus providing a shoulder against which the cover plate 9 may be placed after the tetryl charge is positioned in the cup 8. This cover plate 9 is then retained in position by mechanically spinning over the lower edge of sheet 8 into the position shown in Fig. 1. Communication of the tetryl charge with the previously mentioned cap which ignites the tetryl is provided through the hole 8a in the cup 8. A similar hole 9a appears in the cover plate 9.

To avoid extensive machining I build up the threaded bushing which forms the bottom of the above-mentioned amplifier housing from a plurality of standard and stock pipe sections it, IT, IS, and I9. All that needs to be done with these sections is that they be brazed together or otherwise suitably joined at regions 20, 2|, and 22.

Section i9 is merely provided with wrench receiving notches 23, section It machined slightly and threaded externally at [8a to threade'dly engage the nose of a bomb, section ll threaded externally at M to receive the threads la of the part 'l, and section E5 machined slightly.

It is a reasonably inexpensive construction to make the attachment ring t2 of one part, that is, making the wrench receiving segments integral with the attachment ring. To further cheapen this construction, I propose the use of a thin pipe section such as I, as shown in Fig. 6. This section 'i I provide with a spun-over portion and internal threads la. To provide for a wrench receiving portion and to give strength to section 7, I spot-weld semicircular segments H and I? to the section i. Fig. 10 shows a side View of the construction shown in Fig. 6 and represents a detail elevation showing of this element appearing in the assembly of Fig. 1, whereas Fig. 11 shows a plan view with the wrapper sheet 6 in position. Figs. 12 and 13 show side and plan views respectively of the wrapper sheet 6.

Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, show fragmentary section and plan views of a modification for threaded bushing l5. This construction is the cheapest, the blank being of a; single piece stamped or extruded from sheet steel. faces are then machined slightly and the threads applied to form a usea-ble structure.

I have thus provided a low cost construction, adaptable in part to sheet metal fabrication in The surpunch presses and in part to assembly from easily obtained tubular sections. In short, the can is readily manufactured on machine tools ordinarily available in most any factory. Further, the special arrangement of elements 6, 8, and 9 re moves the tetryl charge from the electrical equipment and other preliminary explosive charges as the squib and cap.

The foregoing description and the accompanying showing are merely illustrative of my invention. I, therefore, wish to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. An ordnance fuse container comprising in combination, a one-piece sleeve element of relatively thin sheet metal construction, said sleeve being generally in the shape of a right cylinder having a length greater than the diameter of the sleeve, the sleeve having a seam comprising a relatively narrow flap, of lesser length than the sleeve, disposed substantially symmetrically with reference to the mid-circumference of the sleeve and at right angles thereto, said flap .being bent out of the surface of the sheet metal by an amount equal to the thickness of the sheet metal but being parallel to the sleeve contour whereby the inner surfaces of the abutting edges of the one-piece element fall in the same internal contour to thus provide the sleeve with a smooth inner surface over the entire length of the sleeve, the overlap formed b the flap being spot-welded to the underlying sheet metal, an inverted cuplike member having a relatively small central opening fitting snugly into the bottom of the cylindrical member and being spot-welded into position so that a small bottom strip of uniform axial width of the cylindrical member projects beyond the edge of the cup-like member, a disk like cover having a relatively small axial opening disposed into the cylindrical member to fit against the edge of the cup-like member, the said small bottom strip being spun inwardly to hold the disk-like cover on the cup edge, an internally threaded ring having a smooth flange extending in the axial direction and fitting snugly over the upper end of the cylindrical member for an axial distance sufiicient to contact the adjacentend of said flap, said flange being spot-welded to the top of the cylindrical member, an externally threaded ring screwed onto the first-named ring, a smooth ring having a downwardly directed shoulder brazed in concentric relation to the bottom of the externally threaded ring, a second externally threaded ring having an upwardly directed shoulder brazed in concentric relation to the first externally threaded ring and having a greater external diameter than the first externally threaded ring, a wrench receiving ring :brazed in concentric relation to the top of the second externally threaded ring.

2. An ordnance fuse container comprising in combination, a cylindrical sleeve of a one-piece element of relatively thin sheet metal construc tion, said sleeve being generally in the shape 01 a right cylinder and having a seam comprising a relatively narrow flap, of lesser length than the sleeve, disposed substantially symmetrically with reference to the mid-circumference of the sleeve and at right angles thereto, said flap being bent out of the surface of the sheet metal by an amount equal to the thickness of the sheet metal but being parallel to the sleeve contour, whereby the inner surfaces of the abutting edges of the one-piece element fall in the same internal contour to thus provide the sleeve with a smooth inner surface over the entire length of the sleeve,

the lap provided by said flap being rigidly secured to the underlying sheet metal by a plurality of spot welds, an inverted cup-like member having a relatively small axial opening fitting into the bottom of the cylindrical member and being secured into place, by a plurality of spot welds, in such a position that a small bottom strip of uniform axial width of the cylindrical member projects beyond the cup edge, the cup edge thus forming a downwardly directed shoulder, a covering disk having a relatively small central opening disposed into the cylindrical member to fit against the cup edge, the said small bottom strip being bent inwardly against the cover to hold it in place, an internally threaded ring having a smooth axially directed flange fitting over the top of the cylindrical member and held in place by a plurality of spot welds, a pair of arcuate segments each somewhat less in circumferential length than the outer circumference of the internally threaded ring spot welded to the internally threaded ring below the upper edge of said ring.

3. An ordnance fuse container comprising in combination, a cylindrical sleeve of a one-piece element of relatively thin sheet metal construction, said sleeve being generally in the shape of a right cylinder and having a seam comprising a relatively narrow flap, of lesser length than the sleeve, disposed substantially symmetrically with reference to the mid-circumference of the sleeve and at right angles thereto, said flap being bent out of the surface of the sheet metal by an amount equal to the thickness of the sheet metal but being parallel to the sleeve contour, whereby the inner surfaces of the abutting edges of the one-piece element fall in the same internal contour to thus provide the sleeve with a smooth inner surface over the entire length of the sleeve, the lap provided by said flap being rigidly secured to the underlying sheet metal by a plurality of spot welds, an inverted cup-like member having a relatively small axial opening fitting into the bottom of the cylindrical member and being secured into place, by a plurality of spot welds, in such a position that a small bottom strip of uniform axial width of the cylindrical member projects beyond the cup edge, the cup edge thus forming a downwardly directed shoulder, a covering disk having a relatively small central opening disposed into the cylindrical member to fit against the cup edge, the said small bottom strip being bent inwardly against the cover to hold it in place, an internally threaded ring having a smooth axially directed flange fitting over the top of the cylindrical memher and held in place by a plurality of spot welds, a pair of arcuate segments each somewhat less in circumferential length than the outer circumference of the internally threaded ring spot welded to the internally threaded ring below the upper edge of said ring, a solid annulus having a downwardly directed flange extending into the top of the cylindrical member and having a portion provided with external threads engaging the threads of the internally threaded ring, said solid ring having a portion of greater external diameter above its first external threads also provided with external threads, and a radially outwardly directed flange on top of the portion of greater external diameter provided with wrench receiving notches.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein the downwardly directed flange is provided with a downwardl directed shoulder and the portion having the greater external diameter is L- shaped in section with the horizontal portion thereof having substantially the circumferential dimensions of the first externally threaded portion of the solid annulus.

5. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein the solid annulus comprises a piece of standard piping stamped into shape so that the flange has i a downwardly directed shoulder and the second externally threaded portion is L-shaped in section with the internal diameter of the horizontal portion having the same internal diameter as the first externally threaded portion.

6. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein the solid annulus is built up into a unitary structure by brazing from individual pipe sections.

WILLIAM J. RUSSELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file or" this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,293,701 Carlson Feb. 11, 1919 1,294,143 Murray et al. Feb. 11, 1919 1,296,171 Dingwall et al. Mar. 4, 1919 1,815,226 Anderson July 21, 1931 1,917,174 Wilhelm July 4, 1933 2,163,619 Murch June 27, 1939 2,265,652 Murray et a1 Dec. 9, 1941 

